


The Other Potters

by paybear33



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-01
Updated: 2019-09-02
Packaged: 2020-10-04 20:27:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20477003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paybear33/pseuds/paybear33
Summary: What if James and Lily Potter weren't the perfect people J.K. Rowling set them up to be? What if Lily didn't love her child enough to save him - and in fact left him to die?James and Lily managed to get away that night, leaving Harry to fend for himself. The poor baby was not protected by a mother's love. He was protected by the pure innocence that children hold, and the evil in Voldemort could not compare.James and Lily did not die. They are still very much alive.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! So this is my first fanfic, but I think it's going to go well! I'll try to post as often as I can - let me know in the comments what you think!

Harry Potter woke up to the sound of a baby crying in the next room over. It took him a minute to remember that it was _his_ baby he was hearing, and the thought made him smile. He looked over to see Ginny still snoring softly beside him and chose not to wake her up. She hardly got enough sleep as it was.

He disentangled himself slowly from the covers, trying not to wake his wife, and crept across the room to the door that led into their nursery. Inside, his little boy, James Sirius Potter, was crying to the heavens. "For Godric's sake," he whispered to his son. "You'll wake your mum." And then Harry reached down to pick up his son and cradled him close.

That didn't last long. The boy stank like rotting flesh. Harry groaned and brought his son over to the changing station and began the task. It was his least favorite part of being a parent, but James made up for it with his adorable smiles, one of which he gave to Harry just then.

"You're lucky I love you so much," he said to the baby. "Because I would have left long ago with the way you smell!"

"Oh, Harry," said a voice behind him. "You're so good with him."

Harry grinned and picked up his little boy before turning to face Ginny. "He makes it easy."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "That's so corny."

"What can I say? I have to practice my dad jokes - and those come after cheesy sentiment."

"If you want dad jokes, spend an evening with _my_ dad."

Harry shook his head quickly. "No way. I'd be there forever - we all know where the twins learned it from."

Harry realized what he'd said too late. Ginny's gaze dropped and she hunched her shoulders, looking more like a daisy than the strong girl he knew and loved. "Hey, Ginny, I'm sorry - I didn't mean to -"

"No, it's fine. I have to learn, you know? Everyone mentions them, and I - I have to learn to be okay with it. Here, let me take James. You're meeting Ron and Hermione today, aren't you?"

Harry took the out gratefully. "Yes. I'll see you later, sweetie." He pressed a gentle kiss to her lips and walked back into their bedroom.

***

"Harry, you _know_ you can't say stuff like that to her!" Hermione glared at her friend and then turned her anger on Ron, too. "Tell him, Ron. She's your sister!"

Ron looked away. "Well, see, mate - it's just that Ginny took it so hard, and -"

"Guys, I know!" Harry yelled, startling the other patrons in the leaky cauldron. They grumbled to each other but turned back around when Hermione fixed her stare on them. Harry lowered his voice. "I know. I messed up, and I feel terrible. But we all miss them, you know? Everyone lost someone, and it's hard to hold a conversation where none of them come up."

Hermione looked sympathetic. "Harry. We've been over this."

Harry glared at her for a minute, warning her not to continue her thought, but Ron stepped in. "No, mate, we have. It's time you really heard us, now isn't it?"

"I've told you, it's not _about_ that anymore. It wasn't ever!"

Ron and Hermione exchanged a look. "Harry," Hermione said gently. "You can't blame yourself. It isn't your fault. It's Voldemort's."

"That doesn't make it fair, though, does it? I mean, he killed them to get to me! And hurt everyone I love in the process."

"But Harry, what could you do about it anyway? I mean, it's over. The war's over. And we're all learning to live again."

Harry sighed and bit down hard on his lower lip, drawing blood. Dropping his voice so that his friends had to lean in to hear him, he gave them the truth. "I came back," he said. His friends exchanged a worried glance as he continued. "I came back, from the dead. And none of them will. They were innocents; I was not. But still, death is final for them. It isn't fair. I'd give my life for any of them in heartbeat."

Hermione smiled. "Like your mother."

Harry nodded slowly. "Yeah. I wish I'd gotten to do that. I think... I think it would be much more honorable than sitting here, alive, while people who fought _for me_ are dead..."

"You can't blame yourself, Harry. No one blames you - you can't do it to yourself."

Harry sighed and buried his head in his hands. "I know," he muttered. "I just wish..."

When he didn't finish, Ron jabbed him in the arm. "What'd'you wish, Harry?"

"I guess I wish people could come back from the dead. I know, it's stupid. But I wish everyone could come back. My parents... Sirius and Remus... Fred... Dobby, Dumbledore, Hedwig, everyone."

Hermione pursed her lips. "Now don't you go getting any ideas, Harry. You remember the story of the three brothers, don't you?"

"What does that have to do with anything, 'Mione?" Ron asked.

"_Well_, it means that sometimes the dead don't really _want_ to come back to life."

Harry stared at her. "You really think all those people wouldn't want to come back to life?"

"All I'm saying, Harry, is that even if they did, they might not be quite as you remember them."

***

Harry returned home with the thought on his mind. He knew he'd never attempt to bring anyone back from the dead - that was Voldemort-level magic - but he allowed himself to think, not for the first time, of what might be different in the world if all those people hadn't died.

In the future, he would sorely regret that thought. It was better when he didn't know.

Author's note: Thank you for reading my first chapter! I promise that the next one will be longer, I just want to see what you guys think of this one! Let me know what you thought and if you enjoyed it, along with any critique you might have. Next chapter we get to meet Lily, James, and a special new character I created...


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Now we get to meet James and Lily. My James and Lily don't exactly match up with the fandom version, but they're not exactly supposed to, right? Basically, in this chapter Harry learns that everything he knows about his parents is fabricated to make him feel better about his loss. We jump right into the story in this chapter; hope that's okay!

"Harry," Ginny called from the nursery. "Can you answer the door?"

It was late Tuesday evening, and Harry had the next two days off from work. At that moment he was in front of the radio like a school boy, eagerly listening to the scores of the current Quidditch match. It was times like these he wished wizards would accept muggle technology - he could really use the television for this.

"Of course, Gin," he called back to her, standing up and heading across the room to the door.

  
He opened the door and his mouth dropped open. There, on the front step, stood his mother.

***

"I don't understand," Harry repeated again. "How are you here?"

Harry had helped his mother inside and she was sitting on the sofa in front of him, looking so much like she did in the picture Hagrid had given him after his first year at Hogwarts, which was in a frame on the end table beside them. Harry kept sneaking glances at it, hardly believing his eyes.

Ginny had come into the room when she heard voices, but quickly retreated after seeing the guest. Who, to Harry's dismay, was not talking - and he wanted answers.

"Mum," he said. Lily looked up at him with eyes that were most definitely his - he'd heard that he 'had his mother eyes' but never imagined the feeling of looking into those same green eyes that marked him as hers, and her as his. "You are my mum, aren't you? This isn't... this isn't a joke?"

"No, Harry," she said softly - her first words since saying hello. "I _am_ your mother. And I understand you have a great number of questions; we must wait for your father, though."

"Dad..." Harry muttered. "He's alive, too? But how? How are either of you alive? Voldemort killed you! I've seen it!"

"It wasn't real, Harry. Now please, you must hold your curiosity just a minute longer. Your father and I split up to find you; he's on his way now."

As if on cue, another sharp knock sounded on the door. Harry opened it cautiously to see his father and another young woman, a few years younger than Harry. Ginny came into the room again just as he was settling them in on the sofa, too. She had the baby in her arms.

"Hermione and Ron have invited me and James to dinner," she said. Harry's father looked up at the sound of his name, and a wide grin spread over his face to hear that his grandson had been named after him. "I think... I think I'll just go now."

She let herself out in a rush and Harry turned to his parents and the strange girl, who resembled Lily perfectly, albeit a younger version. Harry knew before James even said it.

"Son, this is Marlene. Your sister."

Harry felt a rush of affection towards the sister he never knew he had, and towards his parents, as well. After years without family, he had found Ginny, and then had a son, and now he had a whole other set of family as well. His own.

"I - I don't understand, though," Harry said. "You died. You both did. How are you here?"

Lily and James exchanged a small glance, not long or particularly noticeable, but notice he did. He was an auror after all, and reading small gestures like that had become second nature. They were uncomfortable; they didn't want to share this next part. Harry didn't press.

"You know, it doesn't matter. I'm just so happy you're alive! And you -" he turned to his sister. "I never knew I had a sister. I've always wanted a sibling. Ever since I saw Ron and all of his." Harry knew he was babbling, but couldn't bring himself to care. He finally had his family, however strange it was that they had suddenly turned up out of the blue.

"We've heard a lot about you, Harry," Lily said gently, smiling at her son. "The whole wizarding world has, you know. But I'm sure you must have questions about us, too."

"Loads," Harry replied. A few darker questions flitted through his mind - why had they left him, why hadn't they come back sooner, how could they leave him with the Dursleys - but he chose not to dwell on those thoughts.

"Where have you been?" he decided to ask.

The girl - Marlene - spoke for the first time. "In the English countryside," she replied. "Disguised, of course, as muggles. Many charms a day just to keep us hidden, and all sorts of defenses around our home. We didn't run into any trouble until the start of the war - but that's a story for another time, of course. We've had some adventures ourselves, but of course, you've had more, haven't you?"

Harry didn't understand the sharp undertone in her voice, and didn't really care. His mother shot Marlene a dark, silencing look, but Harry paid no attention. He was enamored with his new sister, and the very idea that he wasn't the only Potter child.

"Why are you here?" Harry didn't even think the words; they just flew from his mouth, but as they did, he knew he wanted the answer. They'd abandoned him for more than twenty years. Why had they chosen this time to return? And why had they left in the first place?

"We wanted to see you, of course," James replied, acting as if the answer was common sense. "You're our family."

"You lived just fine without me for all this time." The words were harsh, he knew, but he didn't realize all the anger he'd held inside until that moment. They'd deserted him.

"No, Harry," Lily assured him. "We weren't fine. We missed you all this time. But we couldn't have returned. Someday, maybe, you'll understand."

Harry had a great number of things he wanted to say about that, but decided against it. He would feel better in the morning, and they could carry on a more civil conversation.

"I hope you don't mind," he said, "but I'm awfully tired. Could we continue this discussion in the morning? I'll find extra beds for you."

Marlene looked upset at this, but James fixed her with a stare and a more pleasant look appeared on her face. The three Potters agreed and Harry busied himself with looking for a spare bed to put in the guest room.

After his family had been sorted out, he allowed them to get ready for bed, and went into his own bedroom, shutting the door tightly behind him.

***

"I don't understand," Ginny said. "Why are they here _now__?_"

"I have no idea. Couldn't they have shown up, you know, when Uncle Vernon started _beating_ me?"

Ginny sighed. "So much of this doesn't make sense. It doesn't line up. You saw their gravestone. You saw Snape's memory."

"And the resurrection stone, and when Cedric died. How are they alive?"

"I'm not sure. Either it's not really them -"

"It's them. I'm sure of it. I can tell."

"Okay. Then someone's been keeping some big secrets from you, Harry. Someone worked really hard to make sure you wouldn't find out the truth."

***

"Ginny's right, Harry," Hermione said. "Something's wrong."

Harry had apparated to Hermione and Ron's doorstep in the middle of the night, needing their advice. At that moment he was seated in their living room and Hermione and Ron were both giving him that look.

"Nothing's wrong, Hermione. My family is back; how can anything be wrong?"

"Mate, I hate to say it, but 'Mione's right." Hermione glared at her husband at this. "Something's up with those people. You say you're sure they're your parents?"

"They must be, Ron. I can't tell you how I know, but I know. It's them."

"Then how -"

"Ginny and I have already gone through the list, Hermione. I don't need to do it again. Yes, I've seen proof of their deaths. But it has to be fake. The question is, who would fake something like that?"

Hermione glanced at Ron, who looked back in confusion. He hadn't put together the pieces yet.

"Harry, don't get mad," Hermione began.

"Mad? Why would I be mad?"

Hermione took a breath. "Harry, only a very powerful wizard could fake a death to that extent."

"What are you saying?" Ron asked. "Voldemort's behind this?"

"No," Hermione said. "Harry, it's got to be Dumbledore."

Author's note: So what do you think? Do you like it so far? I'm hoping you do, because I'm loving this!


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